Cell Towers Added To National Mall For Inaugural

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Extra cellphone towers are being installed on the National Mall to handle the heavy use expected from smartphones during the presidential inauguration.

The Washington Post reports officials are trying to prevent the kind of overload of the wireless system that was caused by the huge crowd four years ago.

Sen. Charles Schumer, chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, says they're taking measures to ensure people can call, tweet and post messages on Facebook because the inauguration is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

AT&T says it will have nine temporary cell towers running the length of the mall and others along the parade route. Last time it had only "a couple."

Sprint says it has three temporary towers around the mall and another system to help with emergency communications.